The disclosure comes from Ambassador Dr. Clarence Henry, just back from a two-day working visit to Montserrat along with Mr. Wesley James, Engineer at the Public Works Department.

Describing his visit as successful, Ambassador Henry explained that apart from meeting with Hon. Dr. Lowell Lewis - Chief Minister of Montserrat, several Cabinet Ministers and Governor - Deborah Barnes Jones, they held working sessions with engineers and technicians to draft a Financing Proposal and elements of the design to advance the ferry docking facility proposal to the European Commission.

Last year, CARIFORUM Ministers approved the proposal as a priority project under the Caribbean Regional Indicative Programme, (CRIP), and advanced the request for European Commission support. The Commission has been sympathetic to the thrust of the proposal, but has indicated June-July 2007 as the cut off point for consideration of a draft Financing Proposal under the 9th regional programming. Accordingly, the CARIFORUM Secretariat has recently requested from my Office, background information and the receipt of an early draft of the Financing Proposal. The understanding is that the CARIFORUM Secretariat is hoping to complete all necessary work on the draft Financing Proposal by the end of March 2007 for submission to the Delegation in Barbados.

“To this end, it was agreed that as the National Authorizing Officer that I should travel to Montserrat with Mr. James to initiate and advance the work in order to meet the short timeframe. We have been provided with several studies including economic analysis of Montserrat, the transportation and environment sectors and that country’s sustainable development strategy. I am convinced that Montserrat has been over studied and there is no need to conduct another study, in order to execute the joint ferry docking facility project. In fact, should there be an attempt to suggest the conduct of another study to legitimize CARIFORUM’s request, would only further stifle the economic recovery efforts of the present Montserrat administration”, Dr Henry said.

“Our experts have shown their competence and by the end of next week, the engineers and draftsman are expected to complete draft technical designs and costing for both facilities. Moreover, it was agreed between the parties that the project will comprise rehabilitation of the Little Bay ferry jetty on Montserrat and the construction of a ferry facility west of the Ministry of Health in St. John’s where a similar facility once stood. Additionally, the government of Montserrat will inject sums from its local development fund for the local component of the project”, said Ambassador Henry.

It is also expected that Mr. James from the Public Works Department will continue to work with his Montserrat colleagues to finalize the draft designs and costs. Antigua is also to send a diver to conduct under water structural examination of the Little Bay ferry jetty along with the site in St. Johns with a report for insertion into the engineering design report.

“Our visit continues the close collaboration between the governments and people of Montserrat and Antigua and Barbuda and I am looking to complete by next week the draft designs and Financing Proposal for submission to the CARIFORUM Secretariat and in turn the Delegation for approval”, according to Ambassador Henry.

Source: ab.gov.ag